Responsive / Retrospective Planning

[AnonyMouse_2268]

Hi - sorry only just seen your comment mousekateer.

Ha - yes I did feel like there was some deja vu when I read Annas book too!!... :1b she was so lucky to have staff and management on board...unfortunately in our little preschool land things never went so smoothly

 

I did stick with it right up until 2014, tweaking and adapating how it was recorded but basically the same approach all that time....and IMO it was going amazingly well - the children were doing great and it was so pleasant to do !

 

The only reason I changed was pressure (force) from LA 'advisors' to change to the LA preferred style (which I'd done about 10 years before!) as they didn't think the planning was focused enough and that we would struggle to get anything above requires improvement if we continued with it. I fought my corner as much as I could but it was a uneven battle. Committee and staff were not on board either. They paid no heed to my insistence that there were other very successful settings out there doing it now - even though I had a copy of the book right there!! So I had to sit by and let it go... :angry: It was the beginning of the end.

I would never have considered going backwards ever but I was given no choice .

 

Three months later Ofsted turned up... I wasn't able to be there on the big day. Ofsted hated the new planning (agreed with them there at least!).... I was pretty fed up that we never got to see exactly what they would have thought of the responsive style. As it turned out the LA went quiet after that - too late though.

 

I am still working with the retro / responsive system now though not in the same setting.

So many people still cant get their heads around it and look at me like Im crazy or lazy for not doing all the planning in advance...but I only have to look at the children to know its right!

[Guest]

Hi,

On the subject of the lack of staff confidence (which I also have a problem with), I have just read 'Capturing Children's Sparks' on the home page and think it could be a great starting point. I am going to pass it on to staff to read and then discuss our planning system (which I am trying to make more responsive). I have tried explaining it before and cutting down on pre planned activities but then because the staff are not confident, i end up being the only one who extends the children,s play, adds resources etc. It doesn't help when we're given a school TA to work in the nursery. No disrespect to TAs they do a fantastic job, but they are used to being given set jobs to do with set children and that's not how we work in the setting.

I know this thread is quite old but thought I'd add it on.

[AnonyMouse_7120]

Hi joyjoy...I hadn't seen the article you mention so thanks :-)